Newsletter - January 2014

D

odgeville United M

ethodist Church

327 North Iow

a Street

Dodgeville, W

I 53533

Prepared especially for…

New

sletter January 2014

GETTING A GOOD START – 2014 “Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15

so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, 16 as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been wasted.” – Philippians 2:14-16 (TEV)

As we begin 2014, I want to remind you that we’ve been together for almost 10 years now. Can you believe it? So, how have we done? Have we made the most of it for God’s kingdom? Or have we squandered the time away wishing for something that ultimately would not honor our King? I believe 2014, at our 10-year mark, is as good of time as any to begin anew—to concentrate on truly growing to our God-given potential as a church… And, as always, I look toward mentors—those who’ve already been down the road we’re on—to help guide us. John Maxwell—a longtime mentor of mine—stated in his book called Your Roadmap to Success there are basically ‘four principles to put you on the road to growing toward your potential’ and here they are:

1) Concentrate on one main goal. Nobody ever reached their potential by scattering themselves in twenty directions. Reaching your potential requires focus. This is why I’m going to be asking our Church Council—at

the beginning of each year—to adopt a ‘next step’ for the year—one main goal that we can study, grow in, and apply at the Dodgeville UMC, based on the Eight Healthy Church Systems that I have been professionally coached in for about two years now.

2) Concentrate on continual improvement. Regarding our

corporate life in Christ, stagnation as a result of apathy is not an option; we will continually be in process. So, commitment to continual improvement is the key to reaching our potential as a church. Each day we can become a little bit better at Loving God, Loving People, and Serving God by Serving Others than we were the day before.

3) Forget the past. Jack Hayford, pastor of Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California, said, “We can’t gain any momentum moving toward tomorrow if we are dragging the past behind us.” Maybe all of us have made our share of mistakes in life, or maybe we’ve had an especially difficult past. We need to work our way through it and move on.

4) Focus on the future. You can become better tomorrow than you are today at Loving God, Loving People, and Serving God by Serving Others. What will that look like? As the Spanish proverb says, “He who does not look ahead remains behind.” Our focus needs to ahead, where God is leading…

This sounds like a roadmap for success to me! And again, as we hit our 10-year-mark together this year, it’s a great time to look ahead and determine together to fulfill God’s vision for us—to make disciples for Jesus Christ by loving God, loving people, and serving God by serving others, while teaching others to do the same. My New Year prayer is simple: “Lord, let me be an asset to your kingdom, and not a liability.” Considering these four principles to growing toward our potential will be a good start toward that prayer being

Continued…

CHOIR NEWS

The choir will sing at the 9:00 AM services on the following Sundays in January: January 5, 12, and 19 and also at the

annual “Ringing in the New Year” Concert on January 26. We will rehearse at 8:15 preceding the services and we will also

have a rehearsal between services on January 5.

As always new as well as “returning” members are welcome.

answered. I’m excited about this 10th year in ministry together. Will you determine with me, as we move into this New Year, to grow toward our potential together? That would surely be a good start to 2014! On the journey of life together,

Pastor Rom

THANK YOU FROM PASTOR ROM & JANE

Jane and I would like to thank everyone who has not only prayed for us, but has helped us get through this very difficult time in our lives and in the life of the church these past several weeks. Your prayers have been most appreciated. And besides that, your love and encouragement came to us in a variety of ways. Our thanks to those who...

• Sent get-well cards our way--consistently... • Wrote us notes or letters each week to keep in touch

and to keep us in touch with the community around us... • Remembered us during the Christmas season with

cards and special gifts that we will surely enjoy... • Brought us the gift of good meals to help nourish us--

especially after Rom began to eat (swallow) more normally...

To each and every one of you, we will never be able to thank you enough! Our thanks and, as always... Blessings to you & yours in this New Year, Pastor Rom

Thank you! For the greetings, visits and treats that so blessed the holidays, I want to say “Thank you”. May the gift and spirit of Christmas remain with you all throughout the coming year and may the love and presence of that first gift – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – remain with you throughout the coming year. A special “thank you” to the unidentified person(s) responsible for the package that appeared in the fellowship hall. Please call me at 935-9230 if you would like to help with it. Pastor Charlene

Thanks!

CURRENT MONTH NOVEMBER, 2013 Monthly Income $ 6,649 Monthly Expenses Paid $ 10,112 Net Income for month $ <3,463> Apportionments Paid 0 Unpaid Apportionments $ 2,162 YEAR TOTALS THROUGH CURRENT MONTH Years Income $115,733 Years Expenses Paid $149,290 Net Income for Year $ 33,557 Apportionments Paid $ 6,528 Unpaid Apportionments $ 17,408 TOTAL APPORTIONMENTS DUE FOR YEAR $25,236 APPORTIONMENTS DUE PER MONTH $ 2,103

DECEMBER APPORTIONMENTS: A check in the amount of $3,911.25 was sent to the conference at the end of December. This included all designated apportionment giving for the year, including our special Christmas Offering. Our annual 2013 apportionment giving was $10,439.25. Unpaid apportionment amount: $15,672.75.

January 2014

A STEWARDSHIP MESSAGE FOR YOUR CHURCH How Much is Enough? “Philip answered, "Two hundred silver pieces wouldn't be enough to buy bread for each person to get a piece." (John 6:7 The Message) When I was a child, it was a big treat to go to McDonald’s. Our family rule was that everyone paired up to share a shake and a small order of fries to go along with their hamburger or fish sandwich. The one who divided the shake allowed their partner to choose first and my brother (now a math teacher) would often count out the fries! Almost every time we went I remember thinking, “This isn’t enough. I’m really hungry.” The reality was that my perceived scarcity often turned to abundance as I forced myself to eat those last few fries that were mine! As we begin a new year, we’re facing new challenges of perception in the church. Do people really have enough money to go around? It’s already been a cold winter and some find themselves choosing between heat and food or medicine. The stock market is still unstable and interest income is still incredibly low. While the experts say unemployment numbers are down, many people are still unemployed or under-employed. Yet, God is good – all the time. And, all the time – God is good. We say this. We encourage our children and youth to repeat it with great enthusiasm. Yet, do we believe it? How does it become real in our lives? God is calling us to rework our priorities and, perhaps, re-imagine our ministry. When times get tough – financially or emotionally – it’s very tempting to withhold our money from God because we’re convinced we don’t have enough. When we remember that everything we have is a gift from God, it’s easier to give the first check or the first payment of every week or month to the ministry of Christ through the church. And whether our gift is enough to buy a half-order of fries or feed the multitudes, we know it will be used to proclaim the Good News. Praise God! Happy New Year!

-Rev. Jean Ehnert Nicholas

Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation 750 Windsor St, Ste 305, Sun Prairie, WI 53590

1-888-903-9863 or [email protected]

2014 Church Leadership

Chairperson………………………………….Dave Huxtable [15] Recording Secretary ……………………….Penny Edwards Lay Leader…………………………………..Julie Piper [14] Lay Member to Annual Conf………………Beth Schlueter [15] SPRC Chair..………………………………..Terry Edwards [15] Trustees Chair…………TBS (always elected Jan. of New Year) Finance Chair………………………………..Scott Godfrey [16] Treasurer…………………………………….Bill James [15] Financial Secretaries..……………………..Sandy Alexander Wills & Memorials Chair…………………...Cathryn Tredinnick [14] Membership Secretary……………………..Jane Pegram [15] Connections Coordinators...……………….Beth Schlueter ………………………………………………..Tammy Leiser Website Administrator……………………..Matt Schlueter Adult Ministries Coordinator………………Gail Ray Youth Ministries Coordinator……………..Craig Brown Children’s Ministries Coordinator…………CEMT UMW President……………………………..TBS Youth Representative……………………...Kasey Puckett Members at Large: Steve Alexander/2014 Marion Reynolds/2015 Bobbi Butteris/2014

REQUIRED BOARDS/COMMITTEES

Staff-Parish Relations Committee: Terry Edwards, Chair Lois Dobson/2014 Howard Rideout/2015 Julia Harman/2014 Jean Leigh/2016 Terry Edwards/2015 Julie Colden/2015

Julie Piper/2014, Lay Leader (D) Leroy Strutt//2014, Lay Leader (R) (Beth Schlueter/2015, Lay Member to Annual Conference) Melva Phillips, Ridgeway Representative Twila Thomas, Ridgeway Representative

(Continued on following page…)

2014 Church Leadership (continued)

Board of Trustees: Jan Aschliman, 2013 Chair

Kevin Kirschbaum/2014 Ken Dobson/2015 Chip Forrest/2014 Jan Aschliman/2016 Ron Butteris/2014 Jeff Starr/2016 Rich James/ 2015 Tonia Puckett/2015 Mary James/2015

Stewardship & Finance Committee: Scott Godfrey, Chair (2016) Jane Pegram/2014

Juanita Starr/2015 Lois McComish/2016 Bill James/2015, Treasurer

Sandy Alexander, Financial Secretaries Cathryn Tredinnick/2014, Wills & Memorials Chair Carla Pustina, Office Manager (Bookkeeper)

Wills & Memorials Committee: Cathryn Tredinnick, Chair

Cathryn Tredinnick/2014 Ken Dobson/2015 Suzanne Tremelling/2014 Charlene Mingst/2016

Rosemary Edwards/2015 Mary Jean Thomas/2016 Bill James/2015, Treasurer

Committee on Lay Nominations & Leadership Development: Pastor Rom Pegram, Chair

Carol Thomas/2014 Dale Mortimer/2015 *Bobbi Butteris/2016

Connections Coordinator *Nominated from floor of Church Conference

GENERAL OR MISC. LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Pastor……………………………………………………….Rom A. Pegram Pastor of Visitation ………………………………………..Charlene Bennett Office Manager/Administrative Assistant…………….…Carla Pustina Connections Coordinators………………………………..TBS Adult Ministies……………………………………………...Gail Ray Youth Ministries…………………………………………….Craig Brown Children’s Ministries Coordinator…………………………CEMT Custodian…………………………………………………...Merlin Gorsline Stephen Leaders……….Rom Pegram, Gail Ray NOTE: All positions marked ‘TBS’ (to be supplied) are currently in the process of being filled by the Committee on Lay Leadership.

New Wednesday Evening Study Topic Would you like to live closer to God's Grace in 2014? Join the adult All4One study groups for "Opening Ourselves to Grace" - a combination of DVD and Bible study, exploring basic practices of Christian faith from the tradition of John

Wesley. Starting Wed. 1/8/14, at 4:30 and 6:30 pm.

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR CONCERT

SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 4:00 PM

BELL CHOIR

SENIOR CHOIR

MUSICAL SELECTIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND OTHER GROUPS

Beat the January “blahs” with wonderful music, under the

direction of our own Dan Roble!

A lasagna dinner will be held immediately after the concert in the fellowship hall. Baskets will be available for a freewill offering. Monies collected will go to the youth and adults

participating in the summer mission trip.

INVITE FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR AN AWESOME EVENING OF GREAT ENTERTAINMENT AND

OUTSTANDING FOOD!

Mission & Outreach News

January, February, and March CHANGE FOR CHANGE will be designated to the Iowa County Homeless Shelter coalition. The shelter is closing temporarily the end of January due to lack of funding. The shelter will open again once money is secured. Many individuals and families have used the shelter while they work with agencies to get back on their feet and into housing again. The average stay is 30-45 days. Only one family can use the shelter at a time. It costs $500-$600 a month to run the shelter. Change jars are on the connections table in the narthex to take home and fill with coins/bills. Bring the jar back on CHANGE FOR CHANGE sundays; January 26th, February 23rd, March 23rd and place the change in the offering baskets in the back of the sanctuary. If you choose to write a check for change for change please designate that on the memo section of the check.

"Every little bit can make a change in someone's life!"

2013 LOOSE CHANGE FOR CHANGE GIVING

December – Apportionments: $3,061.25

October and November - Community Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners: $247.75

July-September – Operation Shoebox: $957.67

April-June – UMCOR: $1,506.45

January-March – Goshen Blessing Uganda: $1,610.45

2013 Loose Change for Change Total: $7,383.57

GIVING TREE

The second greatest commandment is love your neighbor as yourself. This was certain true about the Giving Tree this year. This Christmas season we were able to give two families from the Iowa County Adopt a Family a Christmas to remember. Our church also gave generously to Upland Hills Nursing Home residents; more than 20 gifts will be sorted and wrapped for Christmas, birthdays, and bingo.

THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY DINNERS

As our 12th year comes to a close; The Iowa County Community Dinners has been such a blessing to so many individuals and families. Volunteers not only deliver Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to Dodgeville residents, volunteers deliver all over Iowa County. This year was no exception; Hollandale, Barneveld, Ridgeway, Avoca, Arena, Highland, Montfort, Cobb, Mineral Point and Linden was included in the deliveries. Also all of the businesses that are open are offered a free meal delivered as well to their employees; gas stations, iowa county sheriff dept, motels, hotels, nursing/assisted living homes, governor dodge, and the radio station. Many also ventured out in cool weather to St Joe's and Culvers for a dine in meal. With your help we served over 800 people between the two meals, 600 of the meals were delivered. Serving God by Serving Others; just like Jesus fed over 5,000 people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.

January Anniversaries

PLEASE PRAY:

Zach Tolzman Pastor Rom and Jane

Sam Anderson Jan Urbanick Patti Beller Tom Flynn

Michelle Friedrich Elizabeth Duewer

Deb Carol

John Schlueter Mel and Linda Vance

Felicity Tony Berg

Eileen Gorsline London Starr

1 - Nicholas Houck 2 - Paige Berg 2 - Mark Butteris 4 - Lois Dobson 4 - Chris Ley 4 - Charlene Mingst 4 - Lois Wieland 8 - Shane Carroll 9 - Bobbi Butteris 9 - Alex Harman 10 - Steve Colden 11 - Dale Mortimer 12 - Dacotah Starr 12 – Greysen Buckingham 19 - Jerry Tremelling 20 - Cory Berg 21 - Zach Tolzman 22 - Penny Edwards 24 - Christy Schlueter 25 - Julie Udelhoven 28 - Judy Strutt 29 - Sandy Huxtable

JANUARY

12 - Ron & Bobbi Butteris

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